


Just an Item

by flopity_flips



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Brotherhood: Final Fantasy XV, Gen, High School, Implied Promptis I guess, M/M, lol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-21
Updated: 2018-12-21
Packaged: 2019-09-24 09:25:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17097971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flopity_flips/pseuds/flopity_flips
Summary: Prompto has a dreadful realization about himself and it affects him through his life.





	Just an Item

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MsChievous](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MsChievous/gifts).



> For MsChevious! I really hope you enjoy this!

Prompto was at the store, buying some food for himself with the money his parents just sent him. It was his first time going grocery shopping in a long time, and he was feeling a little overwhelmed but he decided to power through it.

As he looked around the store, he began to notice things on the back of the products that he had forgotten were there. He put the natural goods in his basket, attempting to push any thoughts of the little black and white lines on the food to the back of his head.

The young blond pulled out the envelope that contained the banknotes and began to count them for a moment, checking that he’d have enough for his food for the month.

‘They won’t like if I ask for more money later…’ He thought, preemptively fearing his mother or father’s stern voice over the phone.

He sighed, looking to the envelope with his cash and looking down to his basket. He was attempting to be more healthy so he could maybe be a person worthy of being cared about, but what he didn’t realize was how much healthier and natural foods cost.

Prompto looked sadly at the food in his basket and decided to put some of the more expensive stuff back, resorting to purchasing some cheaper, instant food. He continued browsing the shelves, desperately searching for some cheaper, healthy food. As he was readying to head to the register with his goods, he made a split second decision, putting back the instant food and purchasing the fruits and veggies he was going to purchase, deciding he would either need to eat smaller amounts or skip some meals.

The young boy stepped into one of the lines at the register, looking at the people in between him, feeling a little out of place. After all, it’s not every day that a 12 year-old child is shopping for groceries at the store by themselves.

He frowned, remembering how out of place he often was, amongst his peers, in public spaces, and even when he was alone. It truly felt as if there was nowhere he belonged. He believed this to be due to his immense lack of self esteem, especially surrounding his weight and appearance; however, as he grew and learned the ways of the world around him, it began to felt like it was because of something else, and that feeling continually nagged at him no matter where he went or who he was with.

As he drew closer to the clerk running the register, he put his basket full of the items he intended to purchase up on the small checkout counter and waited for the clerk to be done with the older man in front of him. When it was finally his time, he pulled out the folded envelope containing his money from his pocket and watched the small display showing the total price of the goods he was purchasing.

As the cashier placed items in the back, he watched the older person scanning his items, specifically the black and white lines on their packaging. He could not remember the name, but something about it made him feel a little sick, making the marks concealed on his wrist burn.

“Excuse me?” He asked the cashier.

The cashier looked down at him, putting another item into the cloth bag Prompto had brought with him.

“Yes?”

“What are these for?” He asked, pointing to the black bars on the plastic container of tomatoes.

The cashier looked at him, a little confused at the basic question.

“They’re barcodes. They’re used on items to categorize them and bring up information about them, especially when there is a large amount of items,” they explained matter-of-factly.

Prompto stood there for a moment, shell-shocked at the realization.

The cashier finished scanning his items and asked how he’d be paying. Prompto just put the amount of bills he had on the counter, not even bothering to get his change, taking his bag and walking at a brisk pace from the store to his nearby home.

As he left the store he picked up his pace, moving faster and faster as if he was trying to run away from any sort of dark realization that comes with the facts presented to him: the fact that he was tagged with a barcode, commonly used on items produced en-masse. The only logical conclusion that could be drawn was that perhaps he was nothing more than an item, a person produced en-masse. After all, his parents weren’t really his parents, per-se.

When he approached his house, he threw open the gate and then his door, shutting it behind him and dropping his groceries on the ground and falling slowly to the floor, weeping and sobbing as he realized what he might be. And as he realized it, he hated it. He hated himself.

He was so alone and he didn’t even have a shoulder to cry on when he most needed it. He sat up and pulled off the wrist warmer on his arm, looking at the barcode and tracing his fingers across the black marks on his wrist and he began to tear up more.

“They’re used for items,” he whispered, thinking back to what he was told in the store.

He pulled his legs up to his chest and began to weep into his knees, trying his hardest to stop the tears that just kept coming.

* * *

 

Prompto pulled his blazer on, rolling up the sleeves and reaching over on his nightstand, grabbing his usual worn, green striped wristband. He looked down at the barcode on his pale skin, wondering what it truly meant about him. It was quite odd, as no one else around him had one. 

For the past four years, as he tried to better his body his thoughts generally drifted back to that day at the corner store and his realization. He had attempted to try and push the thoughts out of his head, but the more he thought on the subject, the more it nagged at him. Especially as he spent time around his new friend.

He sighed, looking in the full body mirror in front of him before he grabbed his bag and walked out the door to make the morning train to school.

He got off at his stop and strode to his school, sitting down in his classroom on the first floor and waiting for his friend to come into the classroom.

When his raven-haired friend walked through the door, his face lit up as bright as the sun and he began to wave him over.

“Noct! Noct!” He exclaimed

Noctis smiled and ade his way to his desk behind Prompto’s, setting his bag on the hook on the side of the desk and plopping down on the chair.

“Hey,” He muttered in his usual nonchalant tone.

Prompto smiled and began chit-chatting with Noctis about idle topics, nothing that really mattered, but to them it was fun.

While the class was gearing up for the day, a student opened the door. They bowed and walked into the class, handing a scrap of paper to the teacher, who thanked the student and dismissed them.

The teacher read the note and frowned, looking to Prompto.

“Mister Argentum?” He called, silencing the chit chat amongst the students.

Prompto stood up and walked up to the teacher, feeling the class’ eyes on him, hearing their judgemental whispers. He frowned and walked up to the teacher.

The teacher cleared his throat and guided Prompto out of the classroom.

“We need to speak with the Principal,” he stated simply.

When they got in the Principal’s office, Prompto got stared down from behind the Principal’s paperwork he was holding.

“Mister Argentum,” he spoke plainly,” you’re a smart young man. I will speak frankly with you about this matter,” he prefaced.

Prompto nodded nervously, his hands tightly clenched and sweating like mad.

“Our school is one of prestige. You know this. The next in line for the Throne attends. That being said, your grades and behavior outside of the classroom are an embarrassment to the school. Our students are assets, useful. And students like you have no place amongst everyone else here. So, get your grades up, study, and spend less time around game centers. The only reason you’re even here is because of your parents’ position in the government anyways, so you really have no right to be wasting time around places where hooligans gather,” He explained.

Prompto’s lip quivered, staring down at his feet as if they were the most interesting thing in the world. He felt his eyes begin to well up as he turned on his foot, not even sparing a glance at his homeroom teacher and the Principal.

“Mister Argentum,” the Principal firmly stated. “Do you understand what will happen if you do not take your studies more seriously?”  
The young blond took a deep, shaky inhale, gathering his resolve and turning back around, bowing.

“Yes sir,  I will try my best,” he replied.

“Good. You may leave.”

Prompto slid open the door and left, walking fiercely to his classroom, attempting to blink away his frustration.

He opened the door to his classroom and walked promptly to his desk, not even sparing a glance at his best friend, and sat down.

“Hey, man, what’s wrong?” Noctis whispered, putting his hand on his blond friend’s shoulder.

Prompto felt his lip quivering, clenching his fist and turned around.

“Oh, y’know. Being a failure and being useless to the school isn’t exactly a future. Especially at a school as good as this one. I’m just an item, and if items have no use then they get thrown away,” he whispered darkly, clenching his right wrist with his left hand, trying to hold back tears. “I’m trying my hardest, why don’t they get that?” He asked no one in particular.

Noctis looked at him, totally concerned. He had never seen Prompto like this.

“Excuse me? Prompto is feeling sick, can I take him to the infirmary?” Noctis called, asking his teacher.

The teacher looked at the two, worried, but decided to let them go.

“Yes, just be back soon, Noctis. And keep an eye on Prompto.”

Prompto clenched his jaw and felt tears slip from his eyes as he felt Noctis help him up and walk him out of the classroom. The two walked next to each other, a silent air lingering amongst them, occasionally interrupted by soft sniffles from Prompto.

“What was all that talk earlier? Y’know about being an item and useless? What happened?” Noctis asked, putting his hand on the small of his friend’s back, gently rubbing small circles with his thumb.

Prompto sniffled, wiping away tears that just kept coming.

“I’m stupid… Useless. Just an item. You get rid of useless items, don’t you? They said if I don’t get my grades up and stop hanging out at the arcades, they’re gonna kick me out. I hate myself, man. I'm trying so hard to make it all better but it just keeps getting worse!”

Noctis looked at him, worried, and thought for a moment.

"Why do you hate yourself?" Noctis asked.

Prompto looked back at him, as if it was a stupid question, never really giving any thought to his reasoning.

"Well it's just... I'm me. I'm terrible. I'm stupid, loud, a loser, and just... A waste of space! And I just- I hate my situation. I hate myself for my situation too. I have this weird thing on me and my parents just don't love me and I'm so lonely, man," he wept, sniffling and looking to Noctis. "I'm so lonely..."'

Noctis pulled him in for a hug.

"I don't know what this weird thing on you is, I won't ask until you're ready, but so what if your parents aren't around? You don't need your parents. You've got me and my friends, okay? And even though you say or do stupid stuff, you've got skill and talent, okay? I care about you. I want you to be happy," he whispered.

Prompto pulled away and looked at him in surprise, wiping away his tears.

“You mean it? Like, about everything?”

Noctis walked ahead, going to the entrance to the school’s courtyard and trying to hide a grin from his face.

“Yeah. You do say some pretty dumb stuff a lot.”

Prompto, laughed, snorting, and ran ahead after his friend.

“Get over here you royal loser!”

Prompto punched Noctis’ arm and the two laughed together.

"And y'know, if you get expelled or they try to kick you out, I'll vouch for you. They're just some dumb adults who only want to use kids for their parents' status. If you want, we could study. I have a secret weapon that makes me good at school," he promised, sitting down on one of the benches.

Prompto looked at him questioningly.

"It's Ignis."

Prompto laughed once more, slapping Noctis on the back, thinking about his future.

The young blond would be satisfied with things for now, even if he was on the brink of expulsion, he felt as if things would be okay if he was together with his best friend and his best friend's friends.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
